Today:
Gym:
Upper and Lower Back + slight Biceps
My last exercise was Dead Lifts.
After coming home I was fine and then went to sleep for 2 hours.
When I woke up i was little sweaty but didn't bother me also back was fine at the moment.
When i went out in the cold after 5 mins my back started stiffening up.
Now it kills me when i try bending over.
Do you think i injured my back while doing dead lifts or it's because i went out in the cold?
THanks
Doesn't really sound like you "injured" your back per se since you didn't mention any pain that occurred while you were in the process of lifting. And I HIGHLY doubt that the ambient temperatures have anything to do with it.
More likely, this is the case:
- Your lower back/glute/ham complex is a weak(er) spot (like it is for a lot of people)
- You hit it pretty good finishing up with DLs stressing/stretching the muscles beyond that which they are accustomed to.
- Your nap allowed your muscles to return to that shortened position they are so accustomed to.
- When you awoke, you began a simple "exercise" of the fatigued muscles by simply moving again.
- Your lower back is essentially "cramping" because it's extremely fatigued.
A few questions follow...
Do you routinely stretch well after your workout?
Do you normally have some kind of recovery meal after working out consisting of simple carbs and protein?
Try soaking in a hot tub to help loosen the muscles a bit and doing some light stretching afterward. Take a few days off from working your lower back and maybe just focus on the stretching. If it's still stiff after a couple days, consider taking some anti-inflammatory and icing it. Alternating heat is okay used in moderation but can exacerbate any swelling if it used too much. Maybe find someone to give you a good lower-back massage too!
Deadlifts are a great exercise. When you start back in to it, maybe consider a lighter weight especially near the end of your workout.
And this should go without saying with your deadlifts, but make sure you are using EXACT and perfect form for every rep. If you can't, or have to cheat, most likely you are lifting too much weight and putting yourself at increased risk for injury.
